As we turn the page of the past, we can look forward to tomorrow with hope and expectancy. This may sound overly optimistic, but I prefer looking at the future from that perspective rather than getting down and disheartened. A lot of our overall attitude depends on which way we’re looking. Viewing the present world landscape, it seems that it could hardly be any darker, but the upward view could hardly be any brighter!
While we do not know what the future holds, we do know who holds the future. When we look at all the promises our Creator has given us in the Bible, it gives us the assurance that everything is under His perfect control. He tells us that He loves us, and that He will protect us, guide us, and give us peace.
Our greatest hope is in knowing Jesus, the one who knows us best and cares the most for us. “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27 KJV). “God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that is set before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary” (Hebrews 6:18–19 NLT).
Throughout my missionary life, the testimony of Adoniram Judson has been a tremendous inspiration to me. He was sent from North America to Burma to preach the gospel. After seeing his entire life’s work go up in flames, his family broken down, and spending time in prison, a reporter asked Judson, “What hope do you have for Burma after all of this tragedy?” Adoniram simply responded, “The future is as bright as the promises of God.”
Similarly, we can look ahead with exhilaration because of the untapped possibilities awaiting us. Perhaps many of the things we were unable to accomplish yesterday can be achieved today, tomorrow, or in the future. When patience is coupled with hope, wonderful things can happen.
These hopes and expectations may not come right away, but if we keep our eyes on Jesus, that eventual rainbow will come at the end of the storm.